Canon EOS 100D

One comes along and then immediately another. This little camera is a departure from the trend in DSLR cameras in that is attempting to offer a full DSLR experience but in  a smaller lighter camera. It is on sale at Amazon for about £700 with lens

Last year Canon made its long-anticipated entry into the mirrorless camera market with the EOS M, taking aim at compact-camera upgraders who desire better image quality but don’t want the bulk or intimidating controls of a DSLR. Yet the company has long hinted that another path to competing with mirrorless entries from Nikon, Sony, Olympus and Panasonic lay in the miniaturization of its familiar SLR design. With the announcement of the EOS 100D / Rebel SL1, Canon has laid its cards on the table. Billed as ‘the world’s smallest, lightest APS-C DSLR’, the EOS 100D unabashedly merges the Rebel-series’ DSLR operational hallmarks with an impressively small body.

Thanks to a downsizing of internal components that has resulted in a smaller shutter mechanism, thinner sensor module and smaller-footprint circuit board, the EOS 100D is significantly smaller and lighter than the co-announced EOS 700D, while offering the same 18MP pixel count, DIGIC 5 processor and, presumably image quality. The EOS 100D is, in fact, comfortably the smallest DSLR we’ve yet seen, and not so far off ‘SLR-style’ mirrorless models such as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5.

As attention-grabbing as the EOS 100D’s small footprint undoubtedly is, what’s equally impressive is that Canon has been able to retain most of the controls and features typically found on a Rebel-series camera. A front dial and dedicated ISO, exposure compensation and AF/AE lock buttons are among the controls that will be familiar to any Canon DSLR user. Its touchscreen is identical in resolution to that on the EOS 650Dand 700D, but is fixed, rather than articulated.

The EOS 100D introduces version two of Canon’s Hybrid CMOS AF system, originally seen in the EOS 650D. While Canon is making no claims about focus speed improvements of its hybrid phase/contrast detect system, the new version covers a significantly greater portion of the live view area (80% of the area). This should make it a significantly more useful option than the version found on the EOS M and 650D. FROM DP REVIEW SEE MORE HERE

This front view shows that the EOS 100D / Rebel SL1 is substantially smaller than the co-announced EOS 700D / Rebel T5i – itself not exactly a giant.

However, the 100D retains the majority of the external controls found on the larger camera. Although both cameras feature the same rear touchscreen, the 100D’s screen is fixed, not articulated.

The EOS 100D achieves its notable size reduction without sacrificing much in the way of external control compared to the EOS 650D. On the 100D the button at the center of the 4-way controller does double-duty as both the Q menu and Set button, and the surrounding buttons have lost their dedicated functions. The 100D has a lower capacity flash, with a guide number of 9m (versus 13mm on the 650D) and houses a mono versus stereo microphone, though it does retain a stereo mic input. And while the handgrip is not as deep as the one on its larger sibling, the 100D still provides a distinctly DSLR handling experience.

Canon EOS 700D

Canon have released details of the new camera added to their stable, this is effectively a replacement for the 650D, improvements keep coming and new cameras offer better facilities and quality and this one is no different.

With the EOS 700D/Rebel T5i, Canon’s made an early move to replace last year’s 650D/Rebel T4i, though one with only very minor refinements. Indeed the changes over the 650D are so subtle that it’s the olderT3i/600D that stays on alongside the 700D – while the too-similar 650D fades into the sunset. The only real changes are that the 700D offers real-time preview of Creative Filters in Live View mode, includes a redesigned new mode dial that turns 360 degrees, and has a new ‘upmarket’ body finish.

Apart from those additions, the 700D is essentially identical to the 650D, making this the least distinct upgrade we’ve seen in this range of cameras. Elements carried over include the 18MP CMOS sensor, a 9-point cross-type AF sensor, 3-inch, a 1.04m-dot vari-angle LCD screen, and Full HD video mode. Its Hybrid AF system was also brought over from the 650D, and while the simultaneously announced 100D/Rebel SL1’s Hybrid AF II covers a wider area than the one here, neither is said to be any faster than the rather slow implementation on the 650D.

Canon EOS 700D / Rebel T5i key features

• 18MP APS-C ‘Hybrid CMOS’ sensor
• Phase-detection AF from imaging sensor for Live View and Video
• Continuous autofocus in movie mode with subject tracking
• New 18-55mm STM kit lens with stepper motor for improved live view/video autofocus
• 14-bit DIGIC 5 processor
• ISO 100-12800 standard, 25600 expanded
• 5 fps continuous shooting
• 9 point AF system, all sensors cross type, central sensor F2.8 (from 60D)
• 63 zone iFCL metering
• 1080p30 video recording, stereo sound with internal or external mics
• 1.04m dot 3:2 touch-sensitive vari-angle ClearView II LCD (capacitative type, multi-touch support
• more information can be found of the excellent DP Review site here
• Amazon are currently offering this camera at £930

 

New Nikon D7100 digital SLR

The arrival of the 24MP D7100 comes two-and-a-half years after the announcement of its predecessor theD7000, and it’s a pretty serious upgrade. Significantly, Nikon Europe’s presentation of the camera describes the D7100 as the company’s ‘flagship DX model’, and omitted mention of the D300S in the company’s DSLR lineup. Certainly, the gap between the D7100 and D600 now leaves little obvious room for a ‘D400.’

It was only a matter of time before 24MP resolution became standard across Nikon’s entire range of DX-format APS-C DSLRs, and lo and behold – the 24MP D7100 is the latest in the series, but this isn’t just the sensor from a D5200 packaged a newer body. In fact, this would be a fundamental misunderstanding of the new camera.

The critical thing here is that despite the fact that the D7100 is Nikon’s third DX-format 24MP DSLR, its sensor is new, and unique in Nikon’s stable. In a first for Nikon, the D7100’s sensor lacks an optical low-pass filter (OLPF). The D800E, Nikon’s highest-resolution DSLR has the effect of its OLPF ‘cancelled out’, but the D7100, like the Pentax K-5 IIs, omits it altogether. The result should be higher resolution than is possible from the conventional 24MP sensors in the D5200 and D3200, and Nikon clearly feels comfortable with the associated higher risk of moiré in fine patterns – one of the few black marks against the 36MP D800E when we tested it last year. Read more here

Canon EOS 7D Firmware update

If you own a Canon 7D you need to update it’s firmware, detail have just been announced by Canon and they promise enhanced features.

 On the CPN website you can find out all about a new firmware update – 7D Firmware Version 2 – that will add a raft of new features to the EOS 7D DSLR. There’s also a technical article that explains all of the features of the EOS 7D, plus full information on all the key specifications, technologies and benefits of Canon’s flagship APS-C format DSLR. To read CPN’s latest EOS 7D articles, watch films, and view images shot with the 18 Megapixel SLR, just click here

Best Entry-Level DSLR Camera Comparisons & Reviews 2011

If you are thinking about buying a starter DSLR camera either for yourself or as a present this link will give an idea of the range before you. The Canon Ti is the 1100D I think and the T3i is the 600D. Odd that they don’t keep the same names worldwide Here is that link

I see many different DSLR’s in class and have to say that I would always recommend a Canon or a Nikon but it is your choice.

Hands-on with Sigma’s SD1

BJP‘s technical reviewer Richard Kilpatrick has been testing Sigma‘s 46-megapixel SD1 digital SLR. Ahead of the publication of his full review in August, he gives us his first impressions

“Sigma’s SD1 – announced at Photokina in 2010, and now shipping worldwide – has already proven to be unusual for the Japanese firm that perseveres with the Foveon X3technology first adopted with the 2002 SD9.This professional body brings Sigma’s APS-C offering back into play against contemporary DSLRs, with an output file of 15Mp and a solid, professional quality construction. It’s reached the market almost within the initial time estimates despite the tragic earthquake in March that affected many manufacturers and individuals, resulting in constrained stock and delays for many products announced at the end of last year; a sharp contrast with the wait for the previous models developed in tandem with Foveon.

The cost estimates are another matter. During Photokina, Sigma’s COO Kazuto Yamaki is reputed to have offered an estimate of “a similar price to the 5D Mk II” which many pundits took to be around £1800.”

Read more: http://www.bjp-online.com/british-journal-of-photography/blog-post/2083560/hands-sigmas-sd1#ixzz1RdWbsiW9
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Micro Four Thirds the smaller dslr? Is it right for you

These cameras are becoming much more popular, they are chosen because they are smaller than conventional dslr cameras but look and feel more like a dslr than a compact camera. Many of these cameras also have inter-changeable lenses, so they are more like dslrs than compacts. Compact cameras have also improved beyond all recognition in the recent years and most offer a range of exposure and control options that you would expect on a dslr, so the question is why do people still opt for a full size dslr.

One of the defining points of a compact camera is their size, it is in the name, to achieve this things have to get smaller and the sensor is much smaller than on a conventional dslr, the sensor size definitely has an impact on quality and the smaller it is whilst retaining the megapixel count generally means poorer quality, especially with reference to noise but also sharpness. These cameras use software to resolve these issues of noise and sharpness but this is a fix for something that is wrong and so not ideal. A guide to this can be seen in the Canon G10/11/12  The G10 offered in excess of 14 megapixels but with the small sensor size the quality, noise, was less than desirable and the subsequent cameras in the range had reduced megapixels such that the G12 now has only 10.4 megapixel. These cameras are at the top of any serious photographers list when looking for a compact, I bought a G10 and if I am honest don’t use it as much as I expected because of the quality, well noise at higher ISO settings. I had mistakenly thought it would give me similar results to my Canon dslr cameras and have been disappointed.

Sensor size then has an impact on quality, the number of pixels crammed onto a sensor also seems to have an impact on quality, I have had 5 different dslr cameras and only when I bought a full frame sensor dslr 5D Mk2 did I realise what it was I missing from film, that intangible thing called quality, almost certainly measureable, not by me of course, but something that looks and feels right. You would be correct in understanding that the software and hardware improvements going into new cameras means that noise and increase in ISO options continues and much of what I say here might eventually be tosh but for now it seems quality does indeed relate to size. In full size dslr cameras there are 3 sensor size options, the previously mentioned full frame sensor as found in most of the the professional level cameras and the others are the APS C and the APS H, this article explains it in detail and this graphic shows the relative sizes. The size of the micro four thirds sensor is about half that of the full frame sensor

So the micro four thirds, there are a number of manufacturers who have embraced this market, the obvious being Panasonic/Lumix,  and Olympus, but there are also contributions from Samsung, and Ricoh, this site gives an explanation of the benefits of the system and this suggests the best on the market

Understanding that these cameras are not just full size dslr cameras without a mirror and all the space and weight that takes up is important, the sensor is also smaller than that found in dslr cameras and even with all the wizardry of the most recent software the resulting images cannot be as good as those obtained by a dslr.

You have to eventually make a choice based on quality, convenience, usability and that magpie thing that makes most people want new shiny things. I believe that for people actually interested in photography, wanting to make images that have meaning and impact, quality and functionality a full size dslr is better than a micro four thirds camera even though they are heavier and less convenient but as they say “you makes your choice..”